Unfocused leaders:

7 habits that defeat distraction and clarify focus:

Begin each day with a short list of things that must be done before the day ends. What must be done today?

Evaluate importance. Do more of what matters most. You aren’t important because you’re doing what’s insignificant. On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is this discuss or project. Ask, who cares and does it matter?

Say no to good ideas that distract from great ideas. Eliminate at least 70% of the ideas you generate in brainstorming sessions. Unfocused leaders have too many ideas.

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23 thoughts on “7 Habits that Defeat Distraction and Find Focus”

Dan, They are all good words, I have found being flexible helps tremendously with customers.
Listen to what they want., provide feedback when needed to prevent failure. Treat them like they’re family and feel the Friendships that can develop.

I appreciate this, finding and maintaining focus is a real challenge.. in an always connected to the internet age — we are also always a click or two away from infinite distractions, saying nothing of the “Outlook tone” that shouts “open me now” even if it’s a non-urgent spam note. Recalling that we are paid to move things forward to important as is “connecting the dots” of our own activity… if you can’t connect it, perhaps it should go to the trash. NOT scheduling out every moment also yeilds the flexibility to respond to the legitimate urgent, rather than allowing it to create (only) tension.

Do more of what matters most is the key to find focus. Distraction are part and parcel of leadership journey.They provide meaning to effort and achievement. They impel to focus. I think distraction make our journey meaningful. Leaders can defeat distraction by looking at big picture. Small goals on the way tempt us. They try to deviate us from bigger goal. Many people try to grab all the gains and hence lose bigger focus. Leaders let go small gains since they believe in bigger goals.
I would reiterate fear and follow from suggested list. Leaders do not harbor fear. Some element of fear is always beneficial. They follow their dreams. They make committed effort.

Thank you so much for this post. I am seriously struggling to get things done and have been working on some big projects which hit a snag and then I move onto something else and then don’t get back to it or struggle to resolve the snag. I am a mum living with a serious chronic illness and am a writer. I am trying to juggle my family, the house, working on my writing and feel myself torn in so many directions when I am living potentially on borrowed time. I find your suggestions very helpful and will stick them on my fridge. xx Rowena

These are terrific practical reminders that I can apply every day. Focus is great, but we still need to be attentive to the distractions in order to be able to recognize problems or issues. Thanks, Dan.

I love the 7 Habits – have already shared them with a coaching client – it is about commitment – commit to the habit. Find out what is holding you back from sticking with it … likely something bigger … focus is a huge challenge – I struggle with this too … know what to do just have to commit – Thanks Coach Dan :-)

Thanx A Million… Your Alwayz Insightful… The “F” Words I Thought Of Were… Free/Freedom… Being Able To Free Yourself & Others… From Constricting Learned Socially Acceptable Behaviors… Hmm… Some Are Not Good To Have Learned… Socially Acceptable Bullying… Has Alwayz Been In This World… Let Us… “Free Ourselves From Being Dumb … Also My Friend… Don’t Forget… “Freak”… lol… What Would We Ever Do … w/Out Your… Clear… &… Focused WordPress Blogs…

“F” FEELINGS – to get a strong motivated focus.
And to have a good feeling for – good vibrations – a dream. That helps me, if I feel good with.

And one more time “F” for FANTASY, because to create a new or better fokus .-)
Maybe sometimes it helps also, to have a great imagination inside – to find the right power.
And fantasy can help us to realize, on what we want to focus.
Carry inside yourself a picture, to focus on success.

“F” for FUN – the Fun-Factor! Combine with feelings and fantasy and humor and power!

Thanks Beate. What I like about your “F” words is they are on they feel like they are on the fringe of leadership language. Well, I suppose that “fun” is more accepted. But Feelings and Fantasy are a different story. It even feels better to use the term “emotion” to “feelings.”

It´s interesting your hint – and let me think twice … “leader language”?
Because I´m used to think of course – different – maybe because
I am a creative professional designer – and I´m used to think like this one .-)

For me it´s a new challenge to focus on leader management!
It is my own focus to want to look beyond the box.

I always think it’s important to seperate the what I ‘have’ to do and what I ‘should’ do. Learning to say no has helped me a lot in my management role. No to that extra meeting, no to running that extra report and giving good reasons and explaining why I should focus on the ‘should do’ and not the ‘have to’. Managing up has been key for me.